Hub cap



J. R. WOLFF Nov. 17, 1931'.

HUB CAP Filed Aug. 16, 1929 IN\;%NTOR BY I TTORNEYS 5 Patented Nov. 17,1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH R. WOLFF, OF WATERBURY,CONNECTICUT. .AS SIGNOR TO SCOVILL MANUFAC- TUBING- COMPANY, WATERBURY,CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTI- CUT HUB CA1 Application filedAugust 16, 1929. Serial No. 386,257.

This invention relates to certain improvements in hub caps or the likefor use with motor car wheels of that type in which the cap can bereadily snapped into position on the hub of the wheel and readilyremoved therefrom. I

These hub caps are used for closing in the open end of wheels,particularly wheels used with motor cars in which the means for securingthe wheel in position are located inside the hub of the wheel, whichnecessitates the removal and replacement of the cap. It is desirablewith this type of hub cap that the parts may be quickly assembled andreadily removed and replaced on the hubs when it is desired to remove awheel, or for other purposes. It is further desirable that theseconstructions be cheap and the parts so correlated that they may bereadily removed and placed in position, but at the same time remain inplace during the operation of the vehicle with which they are used. In aoopending application of Frederick R. Reutter, Serial No. 325,736, filedDecember 13, 1928, is shown and described a construction in whichcertain resilient means are employed for holding the cap in place on thehub and yet permitting its ready removal and replacement when necessary.

It is the especial object of the present invention to provide animproved and simpli fied means for thus holding the cap in place.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a cap for theseresilient holding means which shall be of few parts, with the parts soarranged as to permit a quick assembly, and which shall be strong anddurable.

With these and other objects not specifically referred to in view, theinvention consists in certain novel parts, arrangements and combinationswhich will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings andcap embodying the features of the invention,

and

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, showingthe outer end of the hub in section with the cap fitted thereto.Referring now to these drawings, the hub cap which has been selected toillustrate the invention comprises a two part structure including anouter plate 1 and an inner plate 2. This construction permits the use ofa thin metal for the outer plate, which can be externally decorated asdesired, and an inner plate of a relatively stronger metal, whichprovides thenecessary strength and rigidity for the cap. It will beunderstood, however, that under certain circumstances and where desiredthe outer plate may be omitted, the inner plate only being used as themain body of the cap. \Vhere, however, two plates are used, as in theconstruction shown, these two plates are secured together, and this maybe conveniently effected by turning in the outer edge of the outer plateover the outer edge of the inner plate, as indicated at 3 in F igurefl,though, of course, if desired, these plates may be secured together inother ways, as, for instance by spot welding. The construction shown,however, provides in effect a bead which spaces the cap slightly awayfrom the hub, so that it can be readily removed by the insertion of asuitable tool between the cap and the hub. This late is capacitated tobe secured to a wheel ub, indicated at 4, this hub being provided withan inturned flange 5, which surrounds a central opening 6, the wheel andthe means for securing the wheel in position being omitted, asunnecessary for an understanding of the invention.

The hub cap, whether in one or two parts, will include certainresilientholding devices by which the cap may be removably secured tothe hub. In order to save metal and thus cheapen the construction, theholding devices of the present invention willinclude spaced supportswhich act as carriers for the resilient means employed. While the numberof these supports may vary, in the particular construction illustratedthe inner plate 2 has secured thereto a pair of oppositely disposedsubstantially L-shaped brackets 7,

extend inwardly and are secured to the inner I two points spaced apart,thus saving in material and at the same time providing an effectivesecuring means. While the particular construction of the holdingdevicesadopted to effect this may be somewhat varied, in the particularconstruction illustrated each bracket is provided with a strip of springmetal 11, suitably secured to the brackets, as by rivets 12, this stripextendmg beyond the brackets at each side and being provided at eachside with a holding pro ection, these holding projections being shown inthe form of pins 13, 14, preferably made of hard metal, and secured tothe strip 11 in any suitable manner, as by rivets 15.

These holding projections, when in their normal position, are of agreater diameter than the opening 6 in the hub, and when the cap isforced onto the hub the spring of the strip 11 permits the holdingprojections to yield until after they have passed the edge of the flange5, when the spring of the metal hind and engage the rear face of the hubflange when the cap is associated with the hub and acting to hold thecap securely in place on the hub.

2. An automobile hub cap assembly comprising a metal hub open at one endand having a continuous inwardly extending radial peripheral flangesurrounding the openin a hub cap arranged to be secured on the i115) inany circumferential position by a straight line movement, said hub capincluding a metal plate, the inner face of this cap being provided withspaced brackets, one leg of each bracket being secured to the inner faceof the plate and the other leg of each bracket extending inwardly, saidinwardly extending bracket legs being substantially the diameter of theopening in the hub, a strip of spring metal secured to each bracketintermediate its ends, and hard metal nibs secured to the free ends ofthe strips and arranged to snap behind and engage the rear face of thehub flange when the cap is associated with the hub and acting to holdthe cap securely in place on the hub.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH R. WOLFF.

permits them to snap behind the flange and securely lock the cap inplace on the hub. Thus a simple and economical arrangement has beenprovided which can be cheaply made and assembled, and which willsecurely hold the cap in place but permit its ready removal withoutinjury thereto.

While the invention has been shown and described in va preferred form,it w ll be understood that certain variations Wlll be permissible in theform and arrangement of the holding devices and-in the way they aresupported in the cap withoutdeparting from the invention as defined inthe appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An automobile hub cap assembly comprising a metal hub open at one endand having a 'continuous inwardly extending radial peripheral flangesurrounding the opening, a hub cap arranged to be secured on the hub inany circumferential position by a straight line movement, said hub capincluding a metal plate, the inner face of this cap being provided withspaced brackets, one leg of each bracket being secured to the inner faceof the plate and the other leg of each bracket extending inwardly, saidinwardly extending bracket legs being substantially the diameter of theopening inthe hub, spring strips secured to'each bracket, and nibssecured at each end of each strip arranged to snap be-

